


Angel in the Snow

by Into_Evernight



Category: AFI
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-24
Updated: 2015-01-24
Packaged: 2018-03-08 22:49:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3226406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Into_Evernight/pseuds/Into_Evernight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I'd say you make a perfect angel in the snow. All crushed out on the way you are. Better stop before it goes too far.” The man of few words who serves as one of Hunter’s regulars at the cafe wasn’t supposed to steal his breath away. Unfortunately, love isn’t something one would choose to succumb to. [Secret Santa for Cat/Catsparrow]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Catsparrow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catsparrow/gifts).



> Originally posted on AFIslash 12/24/2013.
> 
> Story Notes:
> 
> My prompts were:  
> Prompt 1: Hundam or Junter (I will also accept Jadam too but mostly Hunter)  
> Prompt 2: noticing little things about the other person and realizing they love them  
> Prompt 3: creating music, writing music, playing an instrument
> 
> I've never written Junter of any kind seriously before, so this was definitely something new for me. At any rate, Merry Christmas, Cat! I hope you enjoy it! :)
> 
> Disclaimer: These are mere characters based on the members of AFI (not the real members, duh). I do not own; I do not make money. No disrespect, harm, or libel is intended; this never ever happened (and never will) as this is 100 percent fictitious.

The first time Hunter saw him was on a cold, rainy winter day on the first of December. He'd never seen him come into the mom-and-pop coffee house where he worked before – he was sure he would've remembered it if he had. He was tall, tall enough for it to be memorable, and his frame was thin, wiry, willowy. He caught Hunter's eye the moment he walked in and stepped up to the counter, speaking with the owner of the cafe and Hunter’s boss, Adam. His voice was thin, nasal – his tone was flat. As Hunter worked on a peppermint hot chocolate, he flicked his gaze up to watch him, a smile twitching his lips at the sight of a well-worn gray Joy Division shirt and the wing of chestnut hair that neatly covered one eye. There was something about him that stood out from the typical fare of older, retired couples or bearded, flannel-swathed hipsters who frequented the cafe this early in the morning. But what left Hunter breathless was when the man looked up and their eyes locked, bright blue with the deepest, darkest, largest pair of eyes he'd ever seen. The man didn't smile, his features sagging and haggard, but his eyes were expressive enough to tell more than even words could. He watched in interest as the owner of the cafe, Adam, completed the transaction with this man, a smile on his lips as he handed him his change. And Hunter's eyes were drawn to the long, slender fingers that took the coins and slipped them into his pockets.

As the man turned away and Adam shot Hunter a strange look, asking him about the status of the last order, he realized he'd been staring. And he quickly snapped himself out of it, preparing the coffee for the girl ahead of this stranger, squirting various syrups and whipping up extra foam while his mind lingered on the man who sat at the corner of the cafe by himself, staring out the window at the rain pouring down.

Hunter didn't ask for his name that day. But he would remember the way the man's eyes lit up even just a bit as he brought his order out to him, and the way he'd called him back over to slip him a few coins as a tip, laughing off that he'd been too tired to remember the jar at the front next to the register. It brought a smile to Hunter's lips and he just humbly accepted it with a 'you're welcome,' some part of him telling himself he'd probably never see this man again.

It was just his luck that from then on, the man came in every morning at seven on the dot.

–

“I'm exhausted,” Adam said as he finished unlocking the register for the start of the day, turning to look at Hunter, who was wiping down the black, metallic flecked counters and straightening the mugs. “Yesterday was crazy.” Before Hunter could protest, Adam was reaching into his work space to grab one of the recently aligned mugs and fill it with coffee. Black, just how he liked it.

Instead of protesting, Hunter only sighed and turned his rag over, wiping down the spout of the custom blend, the one Adam had just soiled. “You can say that again,” Hunter replied. “Don't get me wrong, it's great that business is going so well but...”

“But it's a lot with you as the only barista,” Adam replied, hoisting himself up on the counter with his mug between his hands. Hunter bit back the urge to ask him to move, instead draping the rag over his shoulder and deciding to wipe up the counter after he'd gotten down. “I'm serious, Hunt. I owe you big time for pulling these kinds of hours without complaining. I know it's been tough and you haven't gotten a day off, but I really, seriously appreciate it.”

“No problem,” Hunter replied with a smile. “I knew what I was signing up for, right?”

“It is small business,” Adam agreed, sipping from his mug. “But I've been thinking.”

Humming, Hunter glanced up from where he was scooping coffee beans into one of the machines. “Yeah?”

“I think we need to hire someone else,” Adam said. “I was crunching the numbers last night and it looks like we're finally bringing in enough money to do it. I mean, I can finally pay myself as well as you, and I can cover the overhead of the place just fine. I think I can afford someone else's salary.” He wrapped his fingers a little tighter around the mug. “But I have to ask – you're okay with that, right? I don't want to work you to death, but your hours might be cut if I hire someone else. I just want to make sure you're making your rent okay before I went and destroyed your life.” He gave him a little smile, and it stirred warmth in Hunter's chest.

With a laugh, Hunter replied, “Destroy my life? No, not at all, man. I really appreciate you asking, though.” He finished clicking the lid on the machine, then moved to the next one. “Honestly? I could use the help... It's hard to keep up, so I don't know if you would end up cutting my hours.”

Laughing as well, Adam said, “I know. But it's a good thing, right?” He slid down from the counter and then slapped Hunter on the shoulder. “Keep up the good work. I have no doubt you're the reason this place is doing so well.”

It was a nice thing to say, but Hunter wasn't so sure; Adam could've easily found another barista. But he also spent a lot of time after hours helping Adam with the business side, something some scrawny kid putting himself through college couldn't do – and didn't have the experience with. But after having gone to school and starting up two businesses of his own, Hunter liked to think he had a leg up over those kids when it came to running a business. He knew what to do after having pushed past his own failures, and Adam was one of his best friends at this point – he wouldn't let him down for the world.

“Thanks,” he said with another smile, one that stretched across his face easily. “That means a lot.”

“Anytime, now let's get these doors open and be ready for another long day.” Adam groaned a bit but he was still smiling, so Hunter did as well. He let Adam go to the door as he spritzed some cleaner on the counter top and carefully wiped down the spot where Adam had been sitting.

As he worked, he heard the front bell tinkle merrily, announcing the arrival of their first customer for the day. Inwardly, he cursed Adam for having put up the pair of sleigh bells on the door for the 'holiday spirit' because he'd be hearing it all day and it'd be haunting him in his dreams again. Ducking beneath the counter, he turned on the music for the store, selecting Sinatra for the morning, and turned it up so he wouldn't have to hear those damn bells. That didn't drown out the sound of Adam's voice as he welcomed the newcomer.

“Well, well, good morning to you, Jade,” Adam greeted. “Will it be the regular, eh?”

Hunter looked up and he felt his heart skip a beat as he saw the man from before. A glance at the clock proved that he was right on time, too. But what really piqued his interest was hearing a name, finally having something to pair with the familiar face.

“Yep, the usual,” Jade replied, stifling a yawn.

“For here?” Adam asked as he walked to the front of the cafe and slipped through the swinging half-door, going to stand behind the register.

“Yeah, I've got work to do,” Jade said, holding up the case for his laptop. “I'll probably be here a while. Hope that's fine.”

Adam typed some numbers into the register, and Hunter watched with a side eye, already working on the drink. “Of course – you're welcome to stay. It's what we're here for,” Adam replied with a grin, eyes directed to the buttons.

“Oh, good.” Jade laughed hoarsely, the sound a little dry, but strangely pleasant and genuine nonetheless. He reached into his wallet and produced a few bills, already handing over the money before Adam had announced the price. “I didn't know how you guys really felt about people who stayed and mooched off the wifi.”

“It's not mooching when you're a paying customer,” Adam pointed out, taking the bills and slipping them into the register, then scraped up some change.

Shaking his head, Jade told him, “Keep it,” and then went to stand by the side, near Hunter's station. He fell silent, holding onto his bag and staring out the windows again, as he often did, seeming deep in thought.

Although Hunter didn't want to disturb him, he had to admit he was curious about him. And maybe he just wanted an excuse to talk to him. As he worked on his latte, he found himself piping up, “Jade, was it?”

“Huh?” Jade turned, seeming startled, and then his features smoothed over. “Oh... yeah?”

“I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Adam.” He nodded towards Adam, who was now rushing to attend to his ringing phone. “I'm Hunter, by the way.” He paused, giving Jade a smile, and only received a faint one in return. Still, he pressed on, trying to make small talk. “So, what do you do? Are you a freelancer? I was just wondering since I've seen you in here with your computer a few times recently.”

Jade shook his head. “Not entirely – I'm a musician. Well, technically on the side because I have to write freelance articles to put food on the table, but other than that, I spend time writing songs and trying to promote my band.”

“Cool, very cool. I'm a musician too – well, kinda.” Hunter grabbed a can of whipped cream and swirled a generous amount on the top of the drink. “What do you play?”

“Mostly guitar and piano. I'm trying to get this synth pop, kinda dark wave project off the ground right now. My friend and I started it because we got burnt out on rock music.” He laughed once, the sound nasal.

“Neat.” Hunter grinned at him and finished drizzling the top of his whipped cream with caramel. He put the glass on a saucer complete with a spoon and napkins and passed it to Jade. “I'm not too up to date on the scene today, but I love the syth pop from the 80's.”

“Yeah, we do too. We were kinda inspired by that,” Jade replied, taking the saucer. Briefly, their fingers brushed and Hunter had to bite his lip. “Anyway, I'd better get to work. It was nice talking to you.”

Nodding, Hunter replied, “Yeah, nice talking to you too. Good luck.”

“Thanks.” Jade gave him the first full smile he'd seen, but it didn't last long. Hunter really had to wonder as he watched him retreat to the corner of the coffee shop, where he'd taken up shop over the last couple of weeks. There was something about him that just seemed so exhausted, and while he knew caffeine was only a temporary fix, he hoped it gave him enough strength to get through whatever it was he had on his mind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: These are mere characters based on the members of AFI (not the real members, duh). I do not own; I do not make money. No disrespect, harm, or libel is intended; this never ever happened (and never will) as this is 100 percent fictitious.

It was Saturday morning and the shop was devoid except for the choice few regulars. Hunter liked early Saturday mornings because they were a break from how busy it usually was; many people were sleeping in from a hard week of work and it gave him some time to take it slower and enjoy himself. Despite how many people seemed to complain about their jobs, Hunter actually enjoyed his; he had no doubt in his mind it had to do with working here instead of some corporate joint, and he couldn't have asked for a better boss.

“Hey, Hunt?” Adam called as he came from the back, going over to meet him at his station. Lowering his voice, he continued, “I wanted to talk to you real quick.”

“Yeah, sure.” Hunter finished cleaning off his equipment and turned to face him. “What's up?”

“Listen, I hate that I couldn't involve you in this, but we're only two people. I really hate to spring this on you. Trust me.” Adam looked him in the eye, and Hunter just nodded, a feeling of dread roiling in his stomach at the seriousness of Adam's tone. “I interviewed a couple of people and I've just hired someone to help you out.” He paused, letting the news sink in before he went on. “She'll be coming in around ten. She's only part time, but she'll be around during rush hours. Right now, we're just gonna see how it works out, but I think you'll like her.”

For a moment, Hunter was silent, taking it in. Sure, Adam had talked to him about it not that long ago, but it still came as a surprise how quickly it'd happened. Usually, it was him pushing Adam to make a change quickly; Adam was slower, more cautious, careful. It was why the cafe hadn't been doing so well when he'd first hired Hunter – because he wasn't good at taking risks. So this was a big change, though Hunter couldn't say he wasn't proud of Adam for recognizing the need and pulling the trigger. Still, he felt torn about his lack of involvement. Even though he wasn't Adam's partner, he had sort of expected him to ask him for advice, since he was his friend.

“Is that okay?” Adam asked, tearing Hunter from his thoughts and forcing him to meet his blue eyes.

“Yeah, of course,” Hunter said, blinking and slowly coming out of his daze. “I mean, pffft, it's about time, right?”

Studying him with a steady gaze, Adam paused, trying to read him. Then: “Yeah...I mean, I mean it - I think you guys will get along great..”

He seemed to be scraping for something to say, something to bridge the situation and assure Hunter that he had made the right decision. As much as Hunter trusted him to hire someone smart and hard working and capable, he still couldn't help but feel a little left out. But it wasn't his place, he told himself, because after all – Adam was his boss and the owner, and he was just an employee who also happened to be Adam's confident.

“I'm sure I will.” Hunter paused, and the short silence that spread between them was far too awkward. Clearing his throat, he added only because he felt like he had to, “Thanks, man.”

“No problem.” Adam gave him a smile, though Hunter could see something anxious in his blue eyes. He didn't say anything to it, and Adam gave him a rough pat on the back, walking away and leaving him to do his work.

It was no big deal, Hunter tried to tell himself. It wasn't like he had any place to feel slighted, so he should just get over it. Trying to placate himself, he drew up a mug of coffee for himself, just to give himself something to do – and also needing the buzz from caffeine.

He'd only taken one sip from his cup when he heard the now too-familiar jingle of the sleigh bells and glanced up to see Jade entering the shop, laptop bag strap across his shoulder. Today, he was later than usual, but Hunter was glad to see him all the same. He'd taken to watching him from where he worked, and he'd started to grow accustomed to Jade's habits, the way he concentrated on his work. Sometimes it made him feel a little creepy, but it'd been a long time since there had been anyone he was even remotely interested in. It felt good to know he still had the capacity to be attracted to someone, even though he figured there was nothing he could do about it.

Seeing how Adam had slipped into the back, Hunter went to the register to ring him up. “Hi, Jade,” he greeted with a smile. “How are you?”

“Good,” Jade replied. “You?”

“Pretty good, pretty good. So what can I get for you? The usual?” Hunter poised his finger over the button to type the order in.

“Yeah, and a Chai tea for my friend. And can I get that with soy milk substituted?”

“Sure thing.” Hunter typed the order in, a little curious, but nonetheless glad that Jade would be around today. “Anything else?” He felt almost hopeful that Jade would ask, would try to talk some more, but he didn't get that much out of him.

“Nope, thanks.” Jade dug into his wallet and handed a few dollar bills to Hunter. As always, when he tried to present him with the change, Jade told him, “Keep it.”

Hunter nodded and smiled, then went to fix his order. He was about to ask Jade what his plans for the weekend were just to start a conversation, but that was when the bells jingled again and he glanced up to greet the new customer, a man dressed in a pair of slacks and a suit jacket, his dark brown hair highlighted with streaks of blonde and a pair of Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses shielding his eyes. He started to speak up, but Jade beat him to it.

“There you are – I was wondering where you were.”

The man just grinned at him, showing a set of nearly perfect white teeth. “I bumped into someone I knew outside. We chatted for a minute.”

“That's fine. I already ordered for you.”

Hunter watched the exchange as he worked on the Chai – this must be his friend. And now that he was here, he didn't feel like it was appropriate to continue any sort of conversation with Jade. After all, Jade hadn't shown interest in it and his only job was to make the coffee and ask the customers how their day was. Nothing more, nothing less. He only wished it didn't make him so disappointed; he felt silly thinking of it like that.

He watched in slight dismay as they headed towards their table in the back corner of the cafe, already in a deep discussion about whatever it was they were going to work on. And Hunter just finished their drinks, only leaving the station to take them to the table when he saw Adam had come out from the back.

“Here are your drinks,” he said with a friendly smile, putting them down on the table. “Anything else I can get you?” He glanced from Jade to his friend.

“No, thank you.” Jade's friend spoke up for him, and offered him a smile. “Thanks for getting our drinks.”

“No problem.” Hunter smiled at them both, and then he returned to his station, feeling strangely disheartened.

–

The next few days dragged on. The new barista came in and Adam was right – she was nice and Hunter enjoyed working with her – but sometimes when she was chatting with him he just wished he'd be left to his thoughts. Not because he didn't care about what she was saying, but because he didn't feel up to conversation. As usual, Jade continued to come in and he continued to try to make small talk, but he had the feeling Jade just didn't want to. Maybe he was wrong to be curious about him, or to comment on whatever band shirt he wore or book he carried that day.

Adam must've noticed a change in him too because he kept shooting him these strange glances. And yet Hunter didn't feel much like talking about it. It wasn't something you wanted to share with your boss, and being attracted to a customer wasn't exactly appropriate. If it'd been the other way around, maybe. But it wasn't his job to plague anyone, and he'd rather be professional. If you could call this professional.

Eventually, however, the subject was going to come up. And it happened one evening when he and Adam were closing, after the new girl had left.

“Hey.” Adam's voice tore Hunter from his thoughts and he looked up from where he was sweeping under the tables, watching as Adam stopped wiping the food counter. “Can we talk?”

Usually, Hunter was able to read Adam, but not today. Today, he couldn't tell if it was a good or bad thing – just that Adam's tone didn't sound angry, so it couldn't have been too bad. Shrugging, he replied, “Sure.”

With a sigh, Adam dropped the rag to the counter and came through the half door, pulling up a chair and sitting backwards in it, resting his arms over the back of it. “You've seemed completely out of it this week. Something wrong?”

Blinking, Hunter looked up at Adam, his stomach sinking as he saw he furrow on Adam's brow, the way his blue eyes regarded him so intently. Part of him wanted to blow it off and tell him he was fine, but when it came down to it, he recognized that Adam probably noticed whatever was on his mind was affecting his work. And that wasn't really acceptable, was it? “I don't know if you'd call it something wrong,” he said slowly, dropping to sweep the dirt into his dust pan. He didn't look at Adam, though he saw his eyes still on him from his peripheral vision.

“So, why don't you talk about it?” Adam shrugged, still leaning on the back of the chair. “If it's something I can help with—” He stopped himself there, and the awkward silence hung over them for a moment. Hunter was all too aware of what this offer meant – that it wasn't just about work – and yet he didn't know how to respond.

“Well, damn, when you put it that way...” Hunter straightened up, stretching and then turning his gaze to Adam. Despite what he told himself, it was eating away at him and he wondered if he'd feel better sharing it with Adam. With a friend. Maybe that was all he needed. “If you really want to know, there's someone I'd like to get to know better, but I don't have the balls to ask them out. I don't know if it'd be appropriate anyway.”

For a brief moment, Adam's eyebrows rose and Hunter felt his stomach stir again with the slight worry about how he'd take it. But then Adam shrugged it off and Hunter felt his shoulders relax, his breath leaving him. “Why not?”

“Why what?”

“Why isn't it appropriate?” Adam tilted his head a bit to the side, regarding Hunter seriously. “I mean, unless this person is married or something—”

Laughing out loud, the sound filling the shop, Hunter shook his head. “God, no, nothing like that.”

“Then why not?” Adam repeated, and Hunter laughed again until he realized – Adam meant it.

There was moment of silence and Hunter rubbed the back of his head, debating with himself. He didn't think it was a good idea to be too forward about it, but he did need the advice so maybe if he put it in a less cringe-worthy way. After all, he didn't like the way _'I have a crush on one of our customers'_ tasted. “Well...it just isn't. It's not...professional. Like, you're not supposed to mix you personal life with work and, besides, isn't it kinda creepy?”

“Oh—” Adam's eyes widened and a flicker of understanding passed through them. Again, Hunter found himself inwardly cringing so he started sweeping again – anything to fill the silence and drown his thoughts and feelings out. It was better to ignore it than to let it get to him. He should've known Adam wouldn't let it drop. “I mean, I get why you'd think that but...” Here, he laughed a bit. “I don't think you have anything to worry about, Hunt. I mean, I promised I wouldn't say anything but...”

“But what?” Here, Hunter looked up and met Adam's gaze, his mouth going dry and his grip tightening on the broom. He could tell by the way Adam wasn't looking directly at him and the way his mouth tugged in a wry smile that he was holding something back - something he knew he would like. “C'mon, man, you can't just say something like that and then not tell me.”

Laughing, Adam grinned sheepishly. “Right. Well... I'll let you draw your own conclusions, but I will say I think you should go for it because I have a good feeling this _someone_ will say yes.”

Now, Hunter found himself gawking at Adam and frozen in place, the broom still tightly grasped in his hands. His heart started racing as it sank in, and he asked, “You mean—?”

“Yep, I know what I'm talking about.” Grinning Adam got up and clapped Hunter on the shoulder. “You have my blessing. If it'll make you happy, and I want to see you happy. I want to see you have fun and do something other than work.” He gave Hunter another smile, and this one seemed traced with something Hunter couldn't quite pin down, but it seemed softer. Less like excitement and more like something empathetic.

Smiling himself, Hunter grinned at Adam. “Thanks, man. It means a lot.”

“Any time. Now why don't you go on and go home? I'll finish up here. You need to get some sleep.” Adam patted Hunter's shoulder again and then stepped back, reaching for the rag off the table to finish cleaning.

And for once, Hunter didn't argue with him. It was good to know that someone had his back.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: These are mere characters based on the members of AFI (not the real members, duh). I do not own; I do not make money. No disrespect, harm, or libel is intended; this never ever happened (and never will) as this is 100 percent fictitious.

Despite their conversation and the fact it afforded him a better peace of mind, Hunter still knew he had to be careful. It was one step at a time, and even if Adam said he shouldn't worry, it still felt strange when he saw Jade the next day and he had less expression on his face than a brick wall when he saw him. Honestly, he just looked tired so Hunter chalked it up to that. Maybe today wasn't the best day to ask him out, so he decided to start slowly. Flirting wasn't a bad place to start, was it? And he got the perfect chance when Jade ordered a mocha instead of his usual.

“Stepping out of the box, eh?” he asked as he tried to make small talk, flashing Jade a smile as he worked on his drink.

As always, Jade seemed distracted, and he jolted slightly as Hunter spoke to him. “Huh? Oh...yeah.” He laughed once, and the brief smile that tugged at his plush lips made Hunter smile all the more. He was too cute, he thought to himself.

“So...busy day?” Hunter prodded, still trying to reach out to him.

“Isn't it always?” Jade jammed his hands in his pockets, again glancing out the window.

Firing up the espresso machine, Hunter hummed sympathetically. “Ah, one of those. Would you like me to give you an extra shot? It might help.” He gave him a smile.

“No, thanks. I'll be fine.” Jade briefly glanced at him, and the look was friendly enough, but it became apparent there were other things on his mind. And Hunter was really beginning to wonder if he and Adam were on the same page.

Giving Jade a warm smile, he just nodded and said, “Okay,” and continued making his drink, this time falling silent and leaving Jade to his thoughts. Maybe words weren't the way to get through to Jade. So as he finished his drink, he drew a heart in the foam with the nozzle and then handed it to Jade with a smile before he could change his mind. “Here's your drink. Enjoy.”

“Thanks.” Jade just took his drink and made his way to the table, and Hunter wasn't sure if he'd even seen it – or if he'd chosen to ignore it.

Feeling a little bit crushed, Hunter took a moment to clean the nozzle, inwardly kicking himself. A small part of him was telling him to just ask Jade and set it all to rest, but another part of him was telling him to let it go because it was clear Jade wasn't interested. At least, that was the signal he was getting. But then he remembered Adam's encouragement, how he'd told him to go for it. And despite his better judgment, he found himself trusting Adam's more than his gut feeling.

It took him a few minutes to finish filling the other regulars' orders for the morning, and then he finally had the lull he needed. Stealing a glance at Adam, he grabbed a canister of sugar to pretend like he was checking on the island with the napkins and the stir sticks near the back of the cafe. His heart was pounding as he moved out from behind the counter, and he could feel Adam's eyes on him as he did so, but he couldn't dare look over his shoulder to see _how_ he was looking at him.

He stopped at the island and glanced at Jade, who had his laptop open and was frowning intently at it. Now was probably not the best time, but it was the only time Hunter would have the guts. He took a deep breath and finished replacing what little sugar had been depleted, then took a step towards Jade. His heart was in his mouth and he felt his palms sweating, knowing he could very well be blowing this.

“Hey,” he said, clearing his throat.

Jade glanced up at him, no longer frowning but not smiling either. “Sup.”

“Um...” Hunter shifted uncomfortably, both hands closed tightly around the sugar canister. “I just wanted to say... Well...” Here, he looked sheepish, but dug for that confidence he usually had. “I don't know if you swing that way and it's cool if you don't, but I just wanted to know if you would maybe like to go do something sometime?”

There was a long pause and Jade kind of stared at him, his lips parting but nothing coming out. He glanced both ways and then back at Hunter, as though trying to figure him out. “Like...” He laughed once. “Are you asking me out? On a date?”

Nodding, Hunter straightened up and smiled at him, trying to break the ice. “Yeah, I mean... I just wanted to get to know ya.” There was another pause, and he quickly added, “I mean, if you don't want to, it's totally cool. Won't hurt my feelings.”

“Um, okay... Well, no, thanks.” Jade's smile looked tense and forced, and he covered it up by lifting his cup and sipping at his drink. And Hunter felt his heart sink as he saw the way Jade's face had turned pink – and not in a good way.

Forcing a smile of his own, Hunter said, “Okay, well...no hurt asking, right?” He gave Jade another smile, though inside he wished he could just go hide in the back and not come out until Jade was gone. He told himself to breathe, that it was fine even though it really wasn't. “Sorry for bugging ya. Enjoy your morning.” He gave him one last smile, which Jade returned – probably out of obligation – and then hurried back to the front.

Adam didn't ask, but the questioning way he lifted an eyebrow said it for him. But Hunter wasn't interested in divulging the details; he had a feeling Adam already knew what had happened, and he wasn't into the idea of demeaning himself by thinking about it too much. At least he had his answer. Ignoring Adam, he got ready for the next order and tried to push his wounds to the back of his mind. It was temporary after all, right?

That was the last time he saw Jade.

–

It was the first Christmas Eve Hunter had felt this tired or disheartened. After having run Jade off, he'd felt pretty terrible about the whole thing, and he'd sworn to himself he'd never push into someone's comfort zone like that again. He still didn't know why Adam had encouraged it and told him it'd turn out fine because, looking back on it, all the signs had been there that he should leave him alone. And now he'd run off a customer because he couldn't put his own feelings aside in order to be professional. He and Adam hadn't really spoken too much beyond work since then, and it was just another case where he wondered what the hell was going on and if he'd gone too far and lost a friend. He'd heard that when it came to having feelings for someone, one could expect to lose three close friends because of it... And he didn't even have three close friends. He had Adam, and he couldn't imagine them _not_ being friends. But right now, he wasn't sure things were looking so good. At least they'd just finished up and now he could go home, to get cozy in his bed and prepare for Christmas, to see his family and forget about what he was missing out on.

He had just grabbed his coat and pulled it on and was on his way out the door when he heard footsteps behind him. At first, he thought Adam was just following him out, so he held the door open for him. But Adam stopped in his tracks and looked at Hunter, and their eyes met. When they did, Hunter felt like the breath had been knocked out of him, and he stared into Adam's eyes, mouth going dry at the depth of blue he found staring back at him.

“Hey...” Adam paused, licking his lips, his hands finding their way into the pockets of his coat. “I don't know if you're busy or not tonight, but do you wanna grab some dinner? I thought we could talk...”

The entire time Hunter had known Adam, they hadn't done much outside of work – they just never had the time, and they were always here. So it came as a surprise, but he also understood the significance of it... Separating the conversation from the work place could only mean that there was something wrong and it needed to be fixed, and it had to be taken care of outside of the cafe. And right now, he was way too tired to deal with it. If Adam wanted to bring up what he'd done wrong, he could do it another day.

“To be honest, I'm really tired, man. Maybe another day—”

Adam's expression in that moment reminded him of a little boy, somewhat lost and somewhat dumbstruck. A beat passed before he said anything, and it was spoken slowly. “We don’t have to go out - we could always go to my place. I could cook something...” Hunter opened his mouth to protest, but Adam interrupted him. “Listen, I know you probably think I'm mad at you, but I'm not. Not at all. I know what happened and, Hunt, that was entirely my fault. I'm so sorry.”

Of all the things Hunter had been expecting to hear, this wasn't it. He found himself at a loss for words, swallowing hard and watching Adam's face, seeing the sincerity in his steady gaze. Slowly, he shifted and let the door fall shut, the resounding _thunk_ and jingle of the sleigh bells filling the open, empty space. “It's...okay.” He was quiet for a moment, a sense of relief claiming him and giving into another wave of exhaustion. However, there was still one thing on his mind, one thing he didn't understand. “But...if you don't mind me asking – why did you tell me to go for it?”

Adam's smile waxed sad and he told him, “I thought you were talking about someone else. Boy, did I feel like an idiot when I realized...”

“But you're not mad at me for costing us a regular?” Hunter asked, brow furrowing. “I felt so bad about that, like I know I made him uncomfortable—”

Shaking his head, Adam broke into Hunter's train of thought before he could get too down on himself. “No, not at all. I know you. I know how it probably played out. And if he was uncomfortable because a guy hit on him, well...” He trailed off, shrugging one shoulder. “It's okay. I know how you feel.”

Although the moment didn't call for it, Hunter couldn't help but smile, his lips twitching. And then Adam was smiling too, and Hunter felt silly for thinking he might've lost Adam's friendship. The next moment, Adam was reaching out and sliding his arm around his shoulders, giving him a half hug and he melted into the touch, needing it more than he realized. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had touched him – it had probably been the last time he'd seen his mom, back at Thanksgiving – and that was a pretty long time to go without being close to someone.

“So I'm not mad about any of that – are we cool?” Adam's voice ripped Hunter from his thoughts, and he realized he'd unconsciously slipped his arm around Adam's waist, giving him a half hug back. Neither of them had moved from the position and Hunter found he didn't really want to.

Turning his attention back to Adam's question, Hunter replied, “Of course, but I have one more question.”

Adam gave him a little squeeze, and Hunter realized his face was close to his own, and he could smell the stale scent of the cigarettes Adam smoked on his clothes. “What's that?”

Hunter searched Adam's gaze for a moment, bracing himself before he asked, “Who'd you think I liked?”

To this, Adam just smiled and reached to push the door open, urging Hunter to come outside with him. Wordlessly, Hunter followed, their arms still draped around each other. Adam only pulled away to lock the shop, and then he reached to link his arm through Hunter's, leading him down the still wet sidewalk, patches of puddles reflecting the green and red lights around them. “I thought you were talking about Lacey,” he admitted, referring to Hunter's 'helper.' “Because you said you didn't think it was appropriate since work and personal life would cross. I've been there too when it came to a coworker.”

Hunter couldn't help but laugh, grinning and shaking his head as they slowed their walk. “Lacey? Don't get me wrong but...not my type, Ad. She's really sweet but she talks way too much.”

“Yeah...I figured that out by now,” Adam said with a low chuckle. “Anyway, it's all over now so...are you sure you don't want to come to my place and have dinner?” He offered Hunter a kind smile, one that met his eyes this time.

Hunter stopped on the sidewalk and turned to face him, again looking into his eyes and watching the way the lights reflected in them. The rumble of traffic seemed so far away now, and the cold didn't seem as biting – not when he had somewhere to go and someone to be with. He didn't tell Adam, but it would be the first time in over five years that he'd had someone to call a friend and a place to go that wasn't his family's. And as he stared into Adam's eyes, he suddenly understood that look he'd shot him when he'd given him his blessing, and it hit him in the center of the chest so hard he felt like he couldn't breathe. It was one of those micro-moments, those epiphanies that made you realize what you had and what you'd wanted was right in front of you. To know it meant so much he could hardly keep the smile from breaking his face, and he couldn't help but hug Adam's arm closer, feeling it pressed tightly to his ribcage and knowing Adam could feel the fast pulsing of his heart as the realization sank in. But it didn't matter because there was mutual understanding and he knew it the second he saw the smile twitch at the corners of Adam's mouth as well.

“I'd love to,” he agreed with a smile, leaning into Adam's side.

And Adam just leaned back and nudged him, his smile increasing as his face hovered closer to Hunter's cheek. Hunter couldn't say for sure because it was so quick and light he thought he'd imagined it, but he could've sworn he felt Adam kiss him. And even if he hadn't, Hunter would've done it for him.


End file.
